Associate Director
Dip Arch, MArch, ARB, RIBA
London, UK
Joris Pauwels
Photograph by Frederic Aranda ©
Photograph by Hélène Binet
Set Two
Joris joined ZHA in 2003, bringing expertise in large-scale mixed-use cultural, office, and headquarters developments. He oversees all aspects of project organisation, from managing design and technical teams to contract administration. His completed projects have received global attention, significantly increasing visitor numbers and attracting international delegates. Leading a diverse team of architects, he emphasises collaboration and fosters open communication with both internal and external partners. He shares his extensive experience with built projects across the office, offering valuable guidance for future developments and supporting teams in achieving success.
Prior to joining ZHA, he worked at Foster + Partners.
Featured Project
Port House repurposes, renovates and extends a derelict fire station into a new headquarters for the Port of Antwerp, connecting the city with the vital activities of its shipping port.
Photograph by Hufton + Crow
Joris received his Bachelor of Architecture from KU Leuven in Belgium, where he was taught by Elia Zenghelis. He earned his Master of Architecture from the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL) in London. He has taught at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), University for the Creative Arts in Canterbury, University of Brighton, KU Leuven, and the London branch of Syracuse University.
Outside work, Joris is a sports enthusiast with a passion for running ultramarathons, often tackling races lasting more than 24 hours — extreme challenges that provide him with a rejuvenating escape from the day to day.
Projects
Explore a selection of projects Joris has contributed to since joining ZHA.
Render by Atchain
Offices
Located on a narrow site in the centre of Shenzhen’s Futian district, home to many of China’s most innovative technology companies, the 76,000m² tower’s composition is defined by its surrounding urban environment.
Photograph by Hélène Binet
Offices
Heritage + Regeneration
The new Port House in Antwerp repurposes, renovates and extends a derelict fire station into a new headquarters for the port – bringing together the port’s 500 staff that previously worked in separate buildings around the city.
Photograph by Hélène Binet
Set Two
Civic
Mixed Use
Offices
The Pierresvives building for the department de l’Herault is the unification of three institutions – the archive, the library and the sports department – within a single envelope. These various parts combine to create a building with a strong single identity when viewed at a distance, but as one moves closer, the division into three parts becomes apparent.
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